Automatic shut-off valve assembly



April 22, 1958 J. R. ALMOND AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1952 April 22, 1958 J. R. ALMoND AUTOMATIC SHUT-OFF VALVE ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1952 7/ Pefssuee MANUAL 60N TEOL- coNreoL .4M/E 37b INVENToR. JOHN. e. AL Mo/vo rroeA/E Ys United States Patent "i AUTOMATIC SHUT-UFF VALVE ASSEMBLY i John R. Almond, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Midland- Ross Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 22, 1952, Serial No. 278,061

6 Claims. (Cl. 303-26) This invention relates vto vehicle brake systems and more particularly to fluid pressure systems for tractor and trailer combinations.

The principal object of the invention resides in imeproving the safety characteristics of the system of the type referred to which is accomplished by rendering it possible at all times for the driver to exercise complete control over the actuation of the tractor brakes, as well as insuring that in case of damage to the connecting line, the trailer brakes will be set automatically.

It is customary in a common type of installation to provide an air reservoir for the trailer which is connected to a relay valve that controls application of the air brakes of the trailer. Two lines lead from the tractor system to the trailer system, one of these being the control line for giving lselective application for the trailer brakes and the other being an emergency line that is normally in `communication with the pressure lsource of the tractor and operates in conjunction with the trailer relay valve to automatically set the trailer brakes in case the trailer becomes separated from the tractor with the resultant breakage of the connecting lines. However, it has been found that if the `control line breaks or separates, springs a leak, or is not properly coupled while the emergency line remains intact, the operator, who is unaware of this condition, will nd that when he attempts to apply the brakes at the tractor pedal he has no control oVer either the tractor brakes or the trailer brakes because upon depressing the brake pedal, the tractor pressure source merely bleeds through the fracture rather than being conned to the tractor booster cylinder and the trailer relay valve.

The principal feature of the invention is that a manually-controlled valve system controllable from the driving station enables the driver, under the aforesaid circumstances, to isolate the tractor brakes system from the leak to thereby provide control over the tractor brakes. This system also provides for retaining control of the tractor brakes in case of fracture of the emergency line leading from the tractor to the trailer. These objects andadvantages are, in the preferred embodiment of the invention attained by connecting a shut-oli valve into the control and emergency lines which has pressure responsive means therein arranged to open check valves in each line for normal operation but which, under control of a manually-operable valve convenient to the driver, can be set to permit the check valves to close and prevent `escape of pressure lluid from the tractor system which might otherwise occur due to a defect in the trailer systems or in the connections between the tractor and trailer.

The manner in which these objects and Iadvantages are attained will be apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

iIn the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagram of a typical installation embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the manually-controlled shutoff valve; y

Fig. 3 is a section through the valve taken on 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the two-way control valve of Fig. l.

Referring to Fig. 1, the engine-driven compressor 10 has an output line 11 connected to a tractor air reservoir 12 in order to govern the action of the regulator lines 13 and 14 and 16 leading from the reservoir to a compressor governor `control unit 17, the details of which form no part of the invention. Another line18 from the reservoir 12 connects to a tractor relay control valve 19 mounted on a hydraulically-controlled air booster unit 2l. Unit 21 is of the type which is responsive to pressure in the pedal-controlled hydraulic mastercylinder and may be of the type disclosed in the co-pending app'lication of lohn R. Almond and George Kricker, Serial No. 686,810, filed July 29, 1946, now abandoned, which is a continuation of` abandoned case Serial No. 448,602,

tiled June 26, 1942. The booster unit is controlled by the pedal 22 connected to the master cylinder 23 which in turn, by means of line 24, connects to the relay valve 19 by way of the booster cylinder 26. Pressure uid from the latter cylinder is conducted by lines 27 to Ithe hydraulic wheel cylinders on the tractor. The relay valve has a Vcontrolled line 28 for supplying air pressure to the booster air cylinder and leading from the valve is a control line 29 for selectively supplying controlled air pressure to the shut-oft valve V. The pressure in control line 29 is a function of pedal pressure, in accordance. with current brake practice as exempliiiedin the aforesaid application;

The construction of the shut-off valve V, which forms part of this invention, will be explained in detail after a brief description of the entire system is completed.

Pressure line 31 leading from reservoir line 13 serves as an emergency line and is connected to the shut-ott valve V. In order to provide pressure for manual con-v trol of the shut-off valve V, a pressure line 32, con-` valve C to the control chamber of lshut-off Valve V.l There is also .an atmosphere exhaust port 34 in the manual control valve C. Valve handle 36 permits adjusting the manual control valve C toeither of two set-` tings. In the normal setting, 4the atmosphere port 34 is closed and pressure inlet line 32 is connected to line 33 thereby applying pressure to the control chamber 56a of the shut-olf `valve V. In the other position, the inlet line 32 is isolated and the shut-off valvecontrol line 33 is exhausted to atmosphere by way of port 34 in the manual valve. Two-way valves of this type are generally known in the valve art and thedesi-gn, details and internal arrangements thereof are not critical to the invention. In Fig. 4 is shown-one form of two-way manual control valve which may be `used in the system of Fig. l. This valve comprises a body having a pressure inlet port 76, an outlet port 77 and an at- -mosphere port 78. A cap 79 is connected to one end of body 75 and includes a recess 80 which communi cates with inlet port 76 and may `communicate `with outlet port 77 through passage 81 in bodyk 75. A valve member 82, provided with a hand grip 83 at one end, extends through cap 79 and into body 75. This valve member is provided with packing -means at 84 tol seal position closing passage v84 and opening port 78. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 4, atmospheric airacting through port 7Sis .in communication with line 33 of Fig. l. Whenvalve member 82 is pulled outwardly, packing 85 closes atmosphere port 78 and packing 84 moves out of passage 81 therebyopening passage Sl to connect voutlet port 77 with the pressure 'inlet poirt 75 through recess 30.

`One of the outlets of shut-ott valve V leads from brake control shut ott chamber 37b of the valve and connects, by lmeans of line 37 to the coupling 38 for the trailer control line 39. This line leads to the control chamber of the trailer relay valve 41, it being understood that pressure is only supplied to the control line when the brakes are applied. The trailer relay valve normally receives air under Vpressure from a line 42 leading from emergency control shut oi chamber 42h in the shut-oli valve through coupling 43 and emergency line 44. The relay valve also receives air under pressure from line 46 leading from the trailer air reservoir. Thus, there are three inlets to the relay valve: the emergency line which is normally at full pressure, the control line which is at atmospheric pressure except when the brakes are applied, and the reservoir Vinlet line which is isolated until the brakes are applied. Relay valves having this mode of operation are well known in the brake art and the details thereof'are not part of this invention.

Two outlet lines 48 lead from the trailer relay valve to the air `chambers of trailer brake motors 49, which actu'ate the trailer brake linkage shown at 51. As is known in the art, a trailer relay valve (connected -as shown) operates to set the brakes if the emergency' line is opened for any reason because pressure in the emergency line connects the brake lines 48 with the trailer reservoir line 46. Thus, should pressure in the emergency line be lost the line 46 leading from the trailer reservoir is connected through the valve to the brake lines 48, thereby automatically applying the brakes. On the other hand, since the emergency line is normally at reservoir pressure, a Vslight leak in the line gives no signal and does not set either the tractor or the 'trailer brakes. y

The structure of the shut-oft valve V appears in Figs. 2 and 3. The valve body is made of several parts bolted together and comprises a central section 52, that is generally annular, and end sections 53 and 53a having charnbers 42b and 37b, respectively, all sections being fastened together by means of through bolts 54 (seen in Fig. 2). Opposed diaphragms S6 are clamped between the central and end sections forming the control chamber 56a for the valve. Each end section has inlet port members 57 and 57a mounted by means of bolts S8 (Fig. 2). Each end section has a check valve seat 59 and a check valve 61 normally closed by a spring 62. Mounted in each end section is a'plunger 63 having a port 64 that is closed when the plunger engages the associated check valve 61.

`Radial ports 66 in each of the plungers 63 establish communication ,between its port passage 64 and an associated passage 67 which communicates to the atmosphere through an exhaust check valve 67a. A piston seal GS is provided to seal plunger 63 in its bore. End section 53 forms the emergency line section and is normally connected to the pressure source. lt is provided with a second cheek valve 69 and seat 7l which serves as a safety valve in case a leak in the tractor line 31 arises which would otherwise bleed air pressure from the trailer reservoir. The iluid connections include: control port 33a connected to line 33 leading from the manual control valve; ports 31a and 29a connected respectively to the emergency and control lines; and, outlet ports 37a and 42a connected respectively to the trailer control and emergency lines.

The atmosphere bleed connections through the plunger bore 64, radial bores 66, and body port 67 is only needed in the emergency section 53 of the valve, its counterpart being provided solely to make the valve adaptable.

In normal operation the manual control valve is set to apply pressure to the control chamber of the shut-off valve V which, by means of the diaphragms and plungers opens both check valves and closes both air exhaust ports. Thus, there is a direct connection between the tractor and trailer emergency'and control lines through the valve V. In the prior systems commonly employed, if the control line were improperly coupled, shut off, or fractured, the driver would be unable to apply the brakes on either the tractor or the trailer, and he would have received no Warning of this dangerous situation. However, in accordance with this invention, if the driver steps on the tractor brake pedal and nothing happens, and so long as the trailer is running free indicating that the emergency line is connected, the driver knows there is a casualty in the control line and this is readily corrected by shifting the handle 36 of the manual control valve to vent the control chamber of the shut-oft` valve V. The check valves now spring to their closed positions isolating the control line systems for the tractor brakes which thereby permits the build up of pressure in the tractor reservoir to etect'power application of the tractor brakes.

Also, the trailer brakes are automatically and instantly applied because with the control chamber 56e vented to atmosphere by Way of line 33 and manually controlled valve C, the plunger 63 in section 53 is no longer held against the face of its associated check valve 61. lFluid pressure from emergency lines 42 and 44 therefore is vented directly to atmosphere by way of the passage 64 and radial ports 66 in valve 63, the exhaust passage 67 in the section S3 and the exhaust check valve 67a. The venting of pressure in lines 42 and 44 to atmosphere shifts the relay valve and thereby supplies uid pressure from the tractor reservoir 47 through line 46 and lines 48 to the brake motors 49 to apply the trailer brakes.

Thus, the tractor and trailer are readily stopped for repair of the casualty to the control line system and what might be a dangerous or even fatal accident is avoided.

In case of damage of both the emergency and control lines, the operation is like that just described except that the trailer brakes are applied automatically and operation of the manual control valve merely restores control of the tractor brakes. In case the emergency line alone suffers the casualty, the trailer brakes are applied automatically. However, in conventional systems, the tractor brakes cannot be applied when the emergency line breaks because the tractor air reservoir pressure would bleed out through the fractured emergency line. In practicing this invention, this is prevented by moving the manual control valve to exhaust pressure in the shut-off valve control chamber which isolates the tractor emergency line 29 of the trailer by means of check valve 61 in section S3 and brake pressure can now build up in the tractor system. Thus, regardless of the nature of the casualty sulered to one or both lines extending between the trailer and the tractor, and regardless of whether or not the coupling elements are properly applied, and regardless of whether any shutod valves may inadvertently have been left in the wrong position for operation, the driver will not lose control of the tractor brakes provided he operates the readily accessible manual control valve.

Having completed a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the' present invention so that others skilled in the art may be able to understand and practice the same, I state that what l desire to secure by Letters Patent is not limited by said preferred embodiment but rather is detined in what is claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A vehicle braking system comprising a tluid pressure reservoir, a tractor brake control valve, a relay emergency valve, a shut-oil device having separate emergency and brake control shut-oil chambers each provided with a check valve, valve-free emergency and brake control lines connecting said shut-oit chambers with said relay valve, lines connecting said reservoir with said emergency shut-oil chamber and with said tractor brake means for simultaneously opening the check valves of said chambers, said means including a control chamber in said shut-olf device, a line connecting said iluid pressure reservoir with said control chamber and including a manually operated valve to control flow of fluid under pressure from said reservoir into said control chamber and piston means in said shut-oit chambers and actuated by pressure of uid from said reservoir when said control valve is opened to open the check valves in said shut-oli chambers when tluid under pressure is admitted into said control chamber, said piston means including stems having passages therethrough which are closed when the piston means engage said check valves and are open at all other times.

2. A vehicle braking system comprising a lluid pressure reservoir, a tractor brake control valve, a relay emergency valve, a shut-ott device having separate emergency and brake control shut-off chambers each provided with a check valve and partly defined by a partition oppositely disposed to said check valve, valve-free emergency and brake control lines connecting said shut-oil? chambers with said relay valve, lines connecting said reservoir with said emergency control shut-oft chamber and with said tractor brake control valve, a line connecting said tractor brake control valve with said brake control shut-off chamber, and means for simultaneously controlling the check valves of said shut-off chambers, said means including a control chamber in said shut-oil device partly deiined by exible walls, a line connecting said uid pressure reservoir with said control chamber and including a manually operated valve to control flow of uid under pressure from said reservoir into said control chamber and separate pistons extending through said partitions with tluid-tight sealing engagement therewith, said pistons being engageable with and movable by said exible Walls to engage and open said check valves when uid under pressure is admitted into said control chamber by said manual control valve, said pistons having passages therethrough which are closed by engagement of the pistons with the check valves and which are open and serve to vent the shut-off chambers when the iluid pressure in the control chamber is reduced sutliciently for the pistons to move out of engagement with said check valves.

3. A shut-off valve for a vehicle braking system comprising a body having separate uid chambers therein connectible in control and emergency lines, respectively, and partly defined by partitions and partly by oppositely disposed exible walls between said partitions, check valves for closing each of said chambers and means for simultaneously opening said check valves, said means including a control chamber between and partly defined by said exible Walls, and pistons slidable in said partitions and having heads engaging with said exible walls and stems extending from said heads into said chambers to engage and open said check valves, and a valve controlled line opening into said control chamber for admitting uid under pressure into said chamber to press said flexible walls against the piston heads and to move the stems in said partitions.

4. A shut-o valve for a vehicle braking system comprising a body having uid chambers therein partly defined by partitions and connectible in control and emergency lines, respectively, check valves for closing each of said chambers and means for simultaneously opening said check valves, said means including a control chamber disposed between said iluid chambers and having opposed ilexible walls, and pistons slidable in said partitions and having heads engaging with said flexible walls and cylindrical stems extending in opposite directions therefrom, and a valve controlled line opening into said control chamber for admitting fluid under pressure thereinto to press said flexible Walls against said head and to move said stems to engage and open said check valves, and sealing means around said stems and slidably engageable with said partitions for sealing against escape of lluid from said fluid chambers between the stem and valve body.

5. A shut-oil valve for a vehicle braking system comprising a body having fluid chambers therein partly dened by partitions and connectible to control and emergency lines, respectively, check Valves biased to a closed position to isolate the control and emergency lines from their respective chambers, and means for simultaneously opening said check valves, said means including a control chamber disposed between said uid chambers and having opposed flexible walls, and pistons slidable in said partitions and having heads engaging with said flexible walls and stems extending in opposite directions therefrom to engagey and open said check valves when fluid under pressure is admitted into said control chamber, said pistons having connected axial and radial openings therethrough on opposite sides of said partitions to vent the fluid chambers to the atmosphere only when the check valves are in closed position.

6. A shut-off valve for a vehicle braking system ycornprising a body having iluid chambers therein partly detined by partitions and connectible to control and emergency lines, respectively, check valves biased to a closed position to isolate the control and emergency lines from their respective chambers, and means for simultaneously opening said check valves, said means including a control chamber disposed between said fluid chambers and having opposed exible walls, and pistons slidable in said partitions and having disk-shaped heads engaging with said flexible walls and cylindrical stems extending in opposite directions therefrom to engage and open said check valves when fluid under pressure is admitted into said control chamber, said stems having axial openings extending inwardly from their free ends and closed while the stems engage the check valves andv radial openings near said heads on the other sides of said partitions and extending from the axial openings to the outer surfaces of said stems and connecting the fluid chambers to the atmosphere only when the check valves yare in closed position, and sealing means around said stems and slidably engageable with the partitions for sealing against escape of tluid from said fluid chambers between the stem and valve body.

References Cited in the tile of 'this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,084,707 Robinson June 22, 1937 2,451,139 Williams et al. Oct. 12, 1948 2,490,420 Davis Dec. 6, 1949 2,570,874 Shumaker Oct. 9, 1951 2,571,885 Ingers 1.----; Oct. 16, 1951 2,602,467 Griswold July 8, 1952 2,645,239 Horn et al. July 14, 1953 

